Houston's The Fresh Market vs Whole Foods - which do you prefer and why? (Rice: 2013, lease)

[Zhang Fei]

I've heard The Fresh Market referred to as a supersized version of NYC's Dean & Deluca, a gourmet deli and food store.

[crono_clone]

They both have their good points I guess. I think Whole Foods is a little bit cheaper (not that it can really be considered cheap by any means) but Fresh Market has the better prepared foods section and bakery. Whole Foods has better packaged chocolate while Fresh Market has better imported candy and chocolate bars. Those are some of the differences I've noticed.

[Zhang Fei]

Fresh Market's management is either incredibly gutsy or incredibly foolhardy. They opened 2 stores inside the loop (and 2 outside) in July and August 2013. Whole Foods has been in Houston 30 years, and it's only got 3 stores inside the loop.

[EasilyAmused]

Fresh Market is a different theory over all than Whole Foods.

I haven't been to a Whole Foods in over 5 years. Now Fresh Market I go a few times a month. Location and gourmet,clean eating, pre-made meals have a lot to do with it.

Central market is better than both in many ways.they really need a second one, just outside the loop.

[TXbywayof]

Is the Memorial Dr. location in the old Rice Epicurean? I look forward to visiting!

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by TXbywayof

Is the Memorial Dr. location in the old Rice Epicurean? I look forward to visiting!

From the Rice Epicurean website:

Today we are announcing that Rice Epicurean Markets has entered into agreements to lease our locations at Holcombe, Weslayan, Tanglewood, and Memorial to The Fresh Market, Inc., a high-growth specialty food retailer from North Carolina. All Rice Epicurean Market stores will continue to operate through the end of the year. We will begin to close the four stores that are part of this transaction during the first quarter of 2013, and The Fresh Market plans to open in the latter part of 2013.

The Rice Epicurean Markets location on Fountain View at Inwood is not part of this transaction, and we will continue to operate this store and offer customers our home delivery service, curbside pickup, Epicurean Catering & The Epicurean Cooking School from that store as well.

[Schumacher713]

HEB.... it is a ton cheaper

[vegankris]

Look at employment practices. Whole Foods has been given awards for being the best place to work for 16 years straight. They treat their employees very well, offer full benefits and paid leave. That's why I would choose Whole Foods over other places.

[txdemo]

Originally Posted by vegankris

Look at employment practices. Whole Foods has been given awards for being the best place to work for 16 years straight. They treat their employees very well, offer full benefits and paid leave. That's why I would choose Whole Foods over other places.

Full disclosure: I'm a meat eater. I know it's a hypocritical statement but I do want to know that the animals that we eat were treated humanely and had a good life until their last day. I have a friend that works at Whole Foods and he said that they can track where their meat comes from down to the farm. That's why I buy my meat from Whole Foods.

[madrone2k]

Fresh Market took over the Rice Epicurian near my office, and I've been inside several times. The ambiance is very nice and the prepared foods do look very good, though I haven't tried any of them yet. I did notice that the prices were rather high.

I also wonder whether that Fresh Market location will survive after Whole Foods opens across the street at Blvd Place. I expect that the relative quality and variety of prepared foods at the two places will determine which gets most of my business.

I like Central Market, but I don't like fighting the crowd at the sole CM location in Houston. Consequently, I was in the habit of going to the other Rice across from it. I find it really strange that Houston has only one CM, while DFW has, like, 5? I guess they either thought Houston "wasn't worthy" or perhaps they changed their strategy toward one of offering more upscale HEBs here.